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SCO 2950: Tracing the Global Supply Chain

Undergraduate Global Enrichment in China

January 3, 2016 to January 16, 2016

January 3-16, 2016; Friday mornings 8:30-11:30am during Fall B-Term

This course is based on the concepts, principles and techniques for managing global supply chains. SCO 2950 emphasizes decision-making in global supply chain strategy through hands-on experiential learning as students follow selected products back up the supply chain from local retail operations and distribution centers, to logistics operations, to deconsolidators, to Los Angeles port operations, to Shanghai port operations, to raw materials suppliers.

Program schedule

The class begins with the end of the supply chain and retail location site visits. Local site visits include retail operations, warehousing, transportation and logistics, plant operations at companies such as Best Buy, C.H. Robinson, Target, and General Mills.

Two week travel. Two components for travel include domestic site visits and international site visits. Domestic travel is to Los Angeles to study Long Beach Port Authority Terminal operations and the process of moving materials through the port. Site visit is made to a deconsolidator operation where containers are split up into shipments for warehouse/retail locations. Global travel is to Shanghai, China. Site visits are made to warehouses, production facilities, and raw material suppliers in China.

Application and Admissions

To apply, please visit the Apply page. Students will be charged a $50 application fee. The application cycle starts on March 1 and the priority deadline is April 1. Applications for programs that do not fill by the priority deadline will be accepted on a rolling basis until full. Applications will be reviewed and students will be informed of their status within 4 weeks of the priority deadline.

Eligibility

This program is open to University students in good academic standing, with a GPA of 2.5 at the time of application or instructor permission. SCO 2950 is designed as a pre-cursor for SCO 3001. Preference will be given to Carlson School students.

Location details

The course consists of local site visits prior to domestic/international travel. The local site visits are conducted at production facilities, distribution centers, logistics operations, and retail locations in the Twin Cities and surrounding area. The domestic/international travel components are based on experiential learning going back up the supply chain to production facilities and raw materials suppliers in the country of origin. Travel to the ports of Los Angeles and Shanghai are followed by site visits at logistics providers, and production facilities in China.

Students stay in conveniently-located hotels and will share a room with one or two classmates of their same gender. Because networking and community-building are key parts of the program, students will not have the option of a single room. Guests are not permitted during the program. Breakfast daily, a welcome dinner, and a closing dinner are provided.

Cost estimate (Summary)

These estimates will vary based on student preference and exchange rates. All details subject to change based on economic and international factors. Most financial aid may be applied to study abroad programs.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Most financial aid may be applied to study abroad. University of Minnesota students are eligible for education abroad scholarships. Please see Financial Aid and Scholarships for more information.